A Night at the Opera
by Rowena Zahnrei
Summary: A cute little tale in which Kurt and Ororo head out for...well, the title gives it away, though perhaps not quite as one might expect. If you peek, please review!


Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men. Please don't sue me or steal my story. Thanks!  
  
A Night at the Opera by Rowena  
  
"So, where are you two headed this fine evening?" Scott asked with a smile. "You're dressed up pretty fancy for just your average 'night on the town'."  
  
Kurt and Ororo grinned at each other, both of them teetering on the edge of laughter, their excitement clear to see.  
  
"We're headed out for 'a night at the opera'," Kurt told him grandly, his golden eyes bright with playful humor.  
  
"So, you're finally going to put those tickets to use, are you?" Scott smirked, raising an eyebrow. "I can just picture it. The darkened theater...romantic music wafting through the air..."  
  
Ororo straightened imperiously, shooting Scott her best 'goddess' look. Scott's smirk only deepened.  
  
"I assure you, Herr Summers, our intentions are purely honorable," Kurt told him stiffly. Then, his eyes shot over to Ororo and his expression turned devilishly mischievous. "Although I can't deny the temptation to misbehave in public will be fiendishly hard to resist."  
  
Ororo had been all ready to nod, but Kurt's last sentence had caught her off guard. Before she could react, however, Kurt's tail had already snaked itself around her waist, pulling her close.  
  
"In fact, I don't think I can manage it. All that time in the dark with you by my side..." He grinned at Ororo's mock glare. "I am only human after all."  
  
"You two goin' to the theater?"  
  
Kurt, Ororo, and Scott turned to face the man who had spoken.  
  
"That's right, Logan," Ororo said, twining her arm through Kurt's. Kurt beamed, his tail tightening gently around her waist. "And we plan to stay for the entire show. That means we are not to be called, summoned, or disturbed in any way, no matter how dire any threat or evil plot that comes up while we're gone may be."  
  
Logan chuckled. "Got it, 'Ro. No calls. You two kids have fun, OK?"  
  
"We will, mein Freund," Kurt assured him brightly. Logan winked at the couple, then strode off toward the kitchen.  
  
"We'll see you when we get back, Scott," Ororo smiled.  
  
"I won't wait up," Scott grinned back. "But, just so you know, as team leader I will eventually need a report on everything that happened--in detail."  
  
Kurt blinked. It was clear from his expression that he was unsure whether Scott was being serious or not. Ororo, however, who had known Scott longer, recognized his tease and decided to play along.  
  
"If it's an official report you're looking for, I can give you that right now," she said. "Kurt and I are first going out to dinner at this wonderful new restaurant that just opened near Broadway--my treat, of course, since Kurt was kind enough to pay for the theater tickets."  
  
"Of course," Scott nodded, struggling to keep his face neutral.  
  
"Then, the two of us will take a leisurely stroll to the theater, where we will sit and enjoy the show."  
  
"And afterwards?" Scott prodded.  
  
Ororo smirked at him, a mischievous glint in her eye. "What happens afterwards is none of your business--official or otherwise."  
  
Kurt's mouth opened slightly in surprise, a purple flush rising in his scarred, indigo cheeks. Scott just laughed.  
  
"Well, I wouldn't want to make you late," he said once he'd recovered his breath. "Enjoy your date. You two have certainly earned the break after all you've been through lately."  
  
"You can say that again," Kurt snorted, flicking his eyes to the clock.  
  
"Are you ready to go, meine Liebe?" he asked Ororo.  
  
"The sooner, the better," Ororo smiled, her crystal eyes warm with affection as she wrapped her arms around him in preparation for a teleport.  
  
"Oh, and Scott," Kurt shot over his shoulder, almost as an afterthought.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
Kurt grinned wickedly. "Just so you know, I thought I'd tell you we're taking your car."  
  
If the visor hadn't been there to hold them in, Scott's eyes would have bugged out of his head.  
  
"What!"  
  
Kurt and Ororo exploded into giggles, the two of them relishing the priceless look on their friend's face. "Just kidding, mein Freund!" Kurt assured him through his laughter, delighted with the results of his own tease. "Auf Wiedersehen!"  
  
And with a BAMF of sulfurous smoke, Kurt and Ororo were gone.  
  
Scott shook his head, then started for the kitchen in search of Logan, hoping to bum a forbidden beer off the gruff Canadian and maybe to persuade him to join him in a game of pool. He knew Logan didn't much like him, but since the feeling was mutual, Scott didn't mind. Still, with Kurt and Ororo gone the evening was shaping up to be pretty dull, and Scott would take Logan's surly, sarcastic company over his own, lonely musings any time.  
  
Halfway to the kitchen, however, a sudden, almost desperate impulse overtook the normally stoic leader. In a near panic, Scott found himself all but running to the garage. He burst through the door, racing to the far end of the packed garage as he looked frantically around the large space, then he came to an abrupt stop. His car was still there, right where he'd left it! Scott sighed in deep relief, a broad smile spreading across his face as his heartbeat slowed. A second, calmer glance at the gathered cars revealed that Kurt and Ororo had taken Xavier's red BMW.  
  
Turning back to his own car, Scott noticed something he had missed before. There, written in the light coat of dust that had collected since the last time Scott had taken it out, was a brief message:  
  
"I wish my girl was as dirty as this car."  
  
His smile vanished, his eyes widening in outrage as he realized he recognized that handwriting.  
  
"Logan!" he roared, knowing the man's ears were sensitive enough to hear him from the kitchen.  
  
Spinning on his heel, Scott marched out of the garage, one hand unconsciously reaching up to finger his ruby-quartz visor. Teasing Scott personally was one thing. Touching Scott's car--that was quite another.  
  


* * *

  
"Kurt, I don't know when I've ever been so excited," Ororo grinned as they walked together down the brightly lit street, arm in arm. "'A night at the opera'! Bright Lady, I can't think of a better way to spend an evening!"  
  
"Nor can I, meine Liebe," Kurt grinned back, his heart filled with an exuberant contentment just to be walking with Ororo by his side. It was a real struggle to keep his tail from swaying behind him in a reflection of his joy. With his image inducer activated, he had to be careful to keep it wrapped around his waist. The holographic image the inducer projected could only shield the first few inches of his tail. If he let it swing freely, the device created the odd illusion that the long, sinewy appendage was floating behind him on its own, completely detached from the rest of his body.  
  
The excited couple entered the crowded theater and turned their advance tickets over to the lanky, bored-looking boy behind the counter. Several moments later, they were seated in the center of the darkened theater, waiting anxiously for the show to begin.  
  
"We're just in time," Ororo smiled, leaning her head comfortably on Kurt's shoulder. Kurt's resulting grin could have lit up the entire theater. He looked down as Ororo shifted against him, his smile gentling as she turned her gaze to meet his eyes.  
  
"I must thank you again for doing this, Kurt," she told him sincerely. "No one has ever done anything like this for me before."  
  
"I find that hard to believe--" Kurt started, but he was cut off when Ororo pressed a warm kiss to his cheek, squeezing his hand for good measure. Kurt found himself stunned and speechless, grinning at her like a helpless idiot as the curtain started to rise.  
  
As Ororo snuggled once again into his shoulder, Kurt somehow found the presence of mind to wrap his arm around her, pulling her close and leaning back in his seat, waiting for the show to begin.  
  
The music started up, loud and tinny, as the credits appeared on the large screen, proudly announcing the Marx Brothers in 'A Night at the Opera'.  
  
Ororo squirmed slightly in utter delight. Normally, she worked hard to hide her true emotions from others. But, not from Kurt. Never from Kurt. He was always so honest and open with her, the least she could do in return was to let him know what she was feeling.  
  
"I love the Marx Brothers, don't you?" she whispered happily.  
  
Kurt leaned his cheek against her silky, white hair as he replied, "I always thought I did. But now I know what true love is, the Marx Brothers just can't compete."  
  
Ororo chuckled warmly. "Enough with the corny lines, you sweet, hopeless romantic. Let's just watch the show."  
  
Kurt grinned, unable to resist. "'As you wish.'"*  
  
Ororo punched his arm, their bright, contagious laughter earning them several confused glances from their fellow movie goers. From the looks on their faces, it was clear they were wondering if they'd missed a joke.  
  
The End  
  
*Quote from 'The Princess Bride'. 


End file.
